Takedown rifles have been available for many years. The term “takedown” generally refers to a type of rifle where the barrel and forearm can be readily connected to and disconnected from the stock and the receiver to permit the rifle to be separated into two pieces or halves. Separating the rifle in this manner makes it easier to transport, clean, and so forth. Unfortunately, conventional takedown rifles have suffered from a number of problems that have hindered more widespread acceptance of these firearms.
One of the most common complaints about takedown rifles is that they are unable to hold zero, or, in other words, they are unable to consistently hit the same spot after the barrel has been removed and reinstalled. The inability of conventional takedown rifles to hold zero can be attributed to a number of factors such as loosening of the connection between the barrel and the receiver over time, the difficulty of returning the barrel to the same position after it has been removed, and the like.
Another common complaint associated with takedown rifles is that they are complicated and difficult to use and/or maintain. Much of this criticism can be traced to the mechanism that is used to allow the takedown rifle to be separated into two halves. Conventional mechanisms have been viewed as being overly complex and subject to failure. The increased complexity has also adversely affected the ability of the rifle to hold zero because even the smallest contaminant in the mechanism can reduce the accuracy of the rifle.
Conventional takedown rifles have threads on both the barrel and the receiver. The threads are interrupted so that the barrel can be inserted straight into the receiver (in the interrupted section where there are no threads) and turned to engage the threads in the barrel with the threads in the receiver. This setup results in a significant amount of stress or force being exerted on the receiver when the rifle is fired. Consequently, the receiver is typically made from steel. Although steel is strong, the overall weight of the receiver is much greater than other firearms where the receiver can be made from lighter materials.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved takedown rifle that overcomes one or more of these disadvantages. The mechanism that is used to separate the rifle should be simple and reliable. Also, it would be desirable to create a takedown rifle that is better at holding zero than conventional takedown rifles.